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Quick hit from the Nikki News Net International Canadian Edition.
Federal Conservative MP and Cabinet Minister John Baird outed by Pamela Taylor, who is running for the Ontario provincial seat vacated by (actually openly gay) MPP George Smitherman. This happened in a morning interview on the CBC with outgoing host Andy Barrie.
ANDY BARRIE: Can you think of a single openly gay Conservative politician, either provincially or federally, who is gay?
TAYLOR: Openly gay? John Baird.
BARRIE: [Stunned] Thank you. You got me.
TAYLOR: And there are many others.
BARRIE: That was really dumb of me.
As of this morning's news cast, there has been no response from John Baird's office. According to Xtra, it's more or less a been a public secret up until now.
The political significance of this is pretty complex. The Conservative party as a whole has not been supportive of GLBT rights, but since the majority of Canadians arguably are, they've been pretty quiet about it. If Baird comes the restof the way out of the closet, there's a risk of a backlash aginst the Tories from thier more extreme right-wing supporters, but any action against Baird by the PMO would likely give rise to a strong backlash from the moderates. With the Tories already suffering in the polls after the most recent prorogation, this is a pretty delicate time for them. On the other hand, managed well, this could win over some of the GLBT friendly (or at least tolerant) moderates who have avoided the Tories because of the quiet air of intolerance taht hovers over them.
Federal Conservative MP and Cabinet Minister John Baird outed by Pamela Taylor, who is running for the Ontario provincial seat vacated by (actually openly gay) MPP George Smitherman. This happened in a morning interview on the CBC with outgoing host Andy Barrie.
ANDY BARRIE: Can you think of a single openly gay Conservative politician, either provincially or federally, who is gay?
TAYLOR: Openly gay? John Baird.
BARRIE: [Stunned] Thank you. You got me.
TAYLOR: And there are many others.
BARRIE: That was really dumb of me.
As of this morning's news cast, there has been no response from John Baird's office. According to Xtra, it's more or less a been a public secret up until now.
The political significance of this is pretty complex. The Conservative party as a whole has not been supportive of GLBT rights, but since the majority of Canadians arguably are, they've been pretty quiet about it. If Baird comes the restof the way out of the closet, there's a risk of a backlash aginst the Tories from thier more extreme right-wing supporters, but any action against Baird by the PMO would likely give rise to a strong backlash from the moderates. With the Tories already suffering in the polls after the most recent prorogation, this is a pretty delicate time for them. On the other hand, managed well, this could win over some of the GLBT friendly (or at least tolerant) moderates who have avoided the Tories because of the quiet air of intolerance taht hovers over them.